Process for treating residual oils



Sept. l1., 1928.

L. c. HUFF` PRocEss 4Ffm TREATING RESIDUAL vons Filled May 25, 1924 2SheGtS-Sheet 1|.l

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L. c. HUFF yPRocEzss FOR TREATING RESIDUAL OILS Filed May 2S, 1924* IlIl Lwuwvtww QJ o k A WMA Il',

Sept. 1l, 1928.

Patented Sept;v 11, 1928.

UNITED SITA-TES LYMAN o. HUFF,A or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

AssIGNoR To UNIVERSAL OIL yPRODUCTS -GOMPANY, OFCHIGAGO, ILLINOIS, A.CORPORATIONF SOUTH DAKOTA.

` 'PROCESS Fon v'rnnlrrmcr mJsInUAI. oIrs.

' 3.! Applicatam. mea Mayas,

My invention rela-tes to process apparatus for treatingresidual oils,and refers more particularly to the idea of utilizing the `residueObtained from the distillation of hy- 5 drocarbon oils, withparticularreference to destructive `distillation under conditions of vcrackingtemperatures and pressure. In the particular embodiment of thisinvention, the residue is withdrawn from the reaction chamber of acracking plant and passed to an enlarged chamber, the pressuremaintained during the cracking Operation being materially reduced. Dueto the reduction of pressure and the latent heat retained in theresidue, th-e light constituents of said residue will vaporize, saidvapors being withdrawn and condensed. The unvaporizcd residue may bewithdrawn and forced to the fuel Oil cir` culating system hereinafterdescribed, the eX- cess being returned to the bulk supply maintained insaid enlarged chamber.

Many advantages of my invention will occur to those skilled in this art.Among some ofthese advantages are the production of a maximum yield oflight hydrocarbons and the utilization of the entire residue as fuel oilin the plant, any excess being ,returned to the supply maintained in theenlarged chamber. The

unvaporized residue is Vcontinually caused to circulate through a fuelsystem about the rclinery supplying the burners for stills, boilers,etc., and any excessvbeing returned as heretofore described.

In this manner the lighter ends of the re-l y siduum will be removed,leaving a heavy liq-4 Imay befed to the boilers 22, the latter beuidresidue which, instead of being reduced to coke as is the presentpractice in a coking still, is disposed of by utilizing same in a fuelburning system. It will be seen that'the 40 enlarged chamber containingthe bulk supplyA acts as a combined ash still and equalizing fuel oilstorage or sup-ply.

' In drawings, Fig. lis a side elevational view partly in verticalsection, showing in detail the combined iiash still and'bulk supplystorage tank. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the fuel o-ilre.circul ating system. j

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 des-V ignates an 4enlargedchamber which, in the present instance, takes the form. of a verticaltower provided with a liquid gauge glass 2, vapor outlet pipe 3, saffetyvalve 4, residueinlet ypipe 5, controlled by valve 6r The vapor line 3may be connected with any suitable form 1924. Serial No. 715,827.

of condenser such as shown at 7, which latter 1s connected by pipe 8 tothe rundowntank or receiver 9; thechamber 1 is preferably insulated asshown at 10.

The residue preferably from a concurrently Aoperated cracking operation,which may be at a temperatureof from 400 to 700 F., may be Introducedadjacent the topl of the chamber l through the inlet pipe 5, the valve6' regulating the reduction in p-res'surewhich may be down to, say,atmospheric.` y The inclined baliles 11 may .be provided adjacent theresidue inlet for v the purpose of providing releasing surface for thelighter ends which vaporize due to the late'nt heat retained intheresidue and the reduc tion in pressure, these lighter ends'passing offthrough the vapor outlet pipe 3 to the condenser coil 7 and. dischargedto the receiver 9 as explained. A f

The unvaporized portion ofthe residuum Y falls to the lower portion ofthe enlarged ,chamber 1 and may be withdrawn through the suction line12.` The suction line 12 may. be connected to the pump 14, which may discharge residue through the strainer or filtering member 15, the valves 16 and by-pass valve 17 being provided. A The residue is then forced intothe circulating fuel oil header 18 which encircles fthe refinerysupplyin fuel oil to furnaces of the various stills,-boi ers, crackingplants, etc. In the header 18 the oilis preferably.-v maintainedunderthe pump Ipressure land' may'befed to the stills 19 connected to theheader by theconnecting lines 20, the lattei' having interposed thereinvalve`s21. The

vthrough-fa centinuation `of the headerlS and .may dlscharge intothelower portionof the enlargedv chamber .h1 through the inlet pipe 25,

'in which is interpsed the valve 26. As shown clearly inFig.' 2, theextremity of this pipe 25 is preferably curved, as shown as 27, toconform. with the curvature ofthe chamber l and assist inmaintaining theoil' in the bottom of Asaid chamber in a constant state of swirlingmotion or agitation, and preventing settling of any carbon or otherforeign matter sus- 'pended therein. The pump 14 may be l equipped withthe usual pressure governor to maintain a constant pressure on theheader Ico 18, and by the manipulation of the valve 26 a definitequantity of oil can be caused toveir-V oulate through the system.

It may beldesirable to assist the vaporization within the chamber 1 lto.obtain a higher yield of the lighter ends. For this reason a pipe 28connected to any. source of steam supply may discharge into the interiorof the lchamber 1 where it mixes with the oil therein, this steam ispreferably superheated to a temperature higher than the incoming oil.Steam may also be mixed with the hot residuum at a` point adjacent thereaction chamberwhere said residue is released from the crackingoperation; the steam thus acting to convey the heavy residuum into theenlarged separating chamber 1. When there is an excess of residue in thechamber 1 other than what is being consumed by the furnaces o f thestills 19 and boilers 22,' this excess may be diverted from thecontinuation of the header 18 into storage tank 29 through the pipeconnection 30' in which is interposed valve 31, the valve 26 being thenclosed, vif desired. On the other hand, when the demand for `fuel oil inthe system is in excess of the amount of oil maintained in the bulksupply in the chamber 1 the deficiency can be remedied by withdrawingoil from the storage tank 29 through the pipe connection 32, in whichlatter is interposed the valve 33. The oil withdrawn from the storagetank 29 may have a suction imposed on it by the pump 14, and this oildiverted into the fuel-burning system., the valve 34 in the line 35connected to the pipe 32 being"preferably closed. A

drain 36 provided with valve 37 may be provided adjacent the bottom ofthe chamber 1. It is to be noted that in the preferred method ofoperation the upper portion only of the chamber 1 may b'e insulated asshown at l0, in order to reduce the temperature of the liquid oil inthelower portion, ifsame is desirable, before it is sent to the fuelburningsystem. It must Vhe understood, of cou-rse, that the chamber may beentirely in' sulated. Also the chamber 1 instead of being vertical maylie in a horizontal plane. In the preferred form of operation it -is vtobe noted that the chamber l is unheated either internally or externally.A steam spray 38 may be .positionedbelow the liquid level of the oil tofurther assist in the distillation of the lighter ends.. I do not wishvto limit myself to effecting a distillation within the chamber 1 atatmospheric pressure, as inplace of the rundown tank 9 a receiver may beprovided,rand a vacuum created therein by means of a vacuum pump whichwould maintain a vacuum in tie condensing coil 7 and enlarged chamber 1to promote further distillation. v

f The oil` level is preferably maintained at the level shown at 39although this is, of course, Within the option of the operator.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an economicprocess and apparatus for commercially utilizing the residue obtainedfrom the cracking or distillation of hydrocarbon oils, at the same timeproducing a maximum yield of light hydrocarbons. By returning the excessresidue from the stills and boilers to the combination flash still.

and bulk supply storage, it is possible to yutilize 100% of the residueas fuel oil. The economic value of this will be appreciated without anyfurther enumeration of its many advantages. `The residue in the header18 being in a heated liquid condition will not clog thev circulatingsystem, therefore allowing the use of ,residues which are more or lessnaturally viscous.

I claim as my invention:

1. An improved method for utilizing the liquid residue from ahydrocarbon oil crack'- ing process. which comprises wthdrawing theresidual oil from a pressure cracking still, while at a temperature inexcess of 400 A F., lowering the pressure on the liquidy resi-y due',introducing the same to an enlarged zone, taking off vapors from saidenlarged zone which have been evolved from the residual oil therein, inmaintaining a body of the heated residual oil in said enlarged zone,continuously circulating the het residual oil through a closed ring,including said enlarged zone, and supplying' regulated quantities of thehot residual oil from said closed ring to selected furnaces positionedadjacent the ring, to constitute the fuel consumed therein. l

2. An improved method for utilizing the heavy residual` oil from aAhydrocarbon oil cracking process as a fuel, which comprises forcing thehot residual oilr produced in a con currently operated cracking stillfrom said still into an enlarged zone, wherein a substantial body of thehot residual oil collects, continuously circulating the hot residual oilin a closed ring, including said, enlarged zone, 'in removing regulatedquantities of the hot residual oil from said closed ring, andintroducing the same in a heated condition to selectedk furnacespositioned Vadjacent the ring, to supply the fuel consumed in suchfurnaces.

3. Animproved method for utilizing the liquid residue from a hydrocarbonoil cracking process, which comprises withdrawing the hot residue from-a cracking still, at a temperature in excess of 400 F., introducingsuch hot residues to an enlarged zone, maintained under a lower pressurethan that employed in the cracking process, taking off va pors evolvedfrom the oil as a result of the reduction in pressure from said enlargedzone for condensation, in maintaining a substantially constant volume ofthe heated residual oil in said enlarged zone, in continuouslycirculating hot residual oil through a closed ring, including saidenlarged zone, and supplying regulated quantities of the hot re- Y ring,to supply sidual oil from said closed ring to Selected furnacespositioned adjacent said ring, to constitute the fuel consumed in suchfui naces, and applying additional heat .to the body of oil maintainedin said enlarged zone.

Ll. An improved method for utilizing the heavy residual oil from ahydrocarbon oil cracking process as" a fuel, which consists in forcingthe hot residual oil produced in a con vcurrently operated crackingstillfroin said still into an enlarged Zone, wherein a substantial bodyof the hot residual oil collects, in continuously circulating the hotresidual oil in a closed ring, including said enlargedzone, in removingregulated -quantities of the hot residualoil from said closed ring andin introducing the same ina heated condition to selected furnacespositioned adjacent the the fuel'consumed insuch furnaces, and inintroducing steam into said enlarged Zone, at a temperature above thetemperature of the oil in said enlarged lZone, to elevate thetemperature of the oil in said enlarged zone.

5.,An improved method for utilizing the heavy residual oil resultingfrom the cracking of hydrocarbon oil in a concurrently operated crackingstillwhich consists in forcing the liot residual oil, under t-hepressure employed in the cracking process from said cracking still, intoan enlarged Zone, maintained under a lower pressure than the pressureemployed in the cracking process, in collecting a substantial body ofyhot residual 'oil in saidi enlargedzone, in maintaining a forced cycliccirculation of the hot residual oil through a closed ring, includingsaid enlarged zone, in removing 'regulated quantities of the hotresidual oil at spaced points in the ring, in supplying such regulatedquantitiesV of the residual oil removed from the ring to Jfurnacespositioned adjacent the ring, to constitute the fuel consumed in suchfurnaces. i

6. An improved method for utilizing the ,liquid residual oil resultingfrom the cracking of hydrocarbon oil in a concurrently7 operatedcracking process, which comprises introducing the residual oil directlyfrom a in temperature, into an enlarged zone, maintaining a lowerpressure in said enlarged zone i i than that maintained on the residualoil in the cracking still, in taking oil' vapors evolved from theresidual oil as a result of the decrease in pressure from said enlargedZone for condensation,.in collecting a substantial body of the hotresidual oil in said enlarged Zone, in continuously circulating the hotresidual oil, under a mechanically applied pres-V sure, through a closedring, including said en-A 7 An improved method for utilizing ther.

heavy= residual oil from a hydrocarbon oil cracking. process, whichconsists in removing the hot `'residual oil from 'a cracking process, inintroducing theremoved residual oil, with- 'out substantial drop intemperature, into an enlarged zone, wherein a substantial volume of thehot residual oil is maintained, in continuously withdrawing hot residualoil from said enlarged zone, in placing the same under a mechanicallyapplied pressure, in passing the same, While moving under a mechanicallyapplied pressure, through a filter, in delivering regulated quantitiesof the oil, While moving under a mechanically applied pressure, toselected furnaces, to supply the fuel consumed therein and in returningthe remaining oil which has been placed under a mechanically appliedpressure to the body of oil in said enlarged zone, and in so controllingthe introduction of such oil to the enlarged zone that the body of oiltherein is maintained in a turbulent condition.

LYMAN o; H'Uru.

